As soon as the Great Hall was filled with as many Sacordians as it could hold, a call for quiet went out over the crowd. As soon as the crowd was silent, King Zachary stood. "Today is a great day for Sacordia. I have chosen your future Queen, Lady Estora." The crowd clapped in approval as Estora got up and took Zachary's hand. "As is the right of the future Queen to pick the Weapon assigned to her, Lady Estora will now announce her choice." Lady Estora bowed slightly to the King and said, "After much consideration, and the advice of a trusted friend, I have chosen Fastion to be my personal guard." Zachary looked at Karigan for some sign that it was her recommendation. Karigan stood there with no visible expressions on her face that would clue him in. "Fastion is one of my most trusted Weapons Lady Estora and a wise choice indeed. Let it be known that from this day, Fastion will be the Queen's Weapon." The crowd applauded again in approval and recognition of their future Queen.

King Zachary led his bride to be back to her throne, and turned to the crowd. "This forthcoming spring, the Kingdom of Sacordia is invited to attend the wedding ceremony." Lady Estora and Karigan both looked at Zachary, taken aback at how far away the wedding was. Karigan immediately put her stony face back on and did her best to endure this day. "Until the wedding, Lady Estora will be traveling around the kingdom, giving her a chance to get to know more about Sacordia, and so that her people will get to know their future Queen. Fastion and two Weapons of his choice will accompany her, along with two Green Riders who will be able to bring any message to me should Lady Estora feel that a particular issue needs my attention. I want the people of Sacordia to know that their Queen is somebody they can discuss their concerns with." The crowd clapped again. Never had they known a King to have chosen such a Queen as Lady Estora. Never had a King allowed a Queen to have such contact with the people. They knew that King Zachary was indeed a great King.


After the Great Hall was cleared out, Zachary escorted Estora over to Fastion and the three of them discussed the plans for the upcoming tour of the kingdom. "I think that Karigan should be one of the Green Riders assigned to attend Lady Estora," Zachary said. "Your majesty, with all due respect, I think Karigan has had enough adventures recently and would be of better use here at your side until Captain Mapstone considers herself well enough to stand as your advisor again." Zachary looked at Estora with a look of bewilderment. Why was Estora so opposed to Karigan being in her traveling party? I thought Karigan and Estora were such good friends. Maybe Estora knew how he felt about Karigan and decided to keep her here. Did she really know? Zachary doubted that. He finally concluded that she was just showing concern for a weary friend. Estora could tell Zachary was confused about her request, and she finally said, "Karigan is such a dear friend of mine, and she's had so much happen to her recently. I would feel better when I'm away, knowing that she's here helping to finish getting the Riders settled in and helping Captain Mapstone organized." "Lady Estora, I honor your request, and I shall keep Karigan here. I really need to attend to the public audience now. I trust you and Fastion can put together a plan and a party, and we will review it at the end of the day." Fastion and Lady Estora excused themselves and retired to Estora's living quarters to map out a route and decide who would be journeying with them.


Zachary sat down in his throne and asked if everybody was ready for the public audience. He glanced at Karigan, but she seemed to be anywhere but here at the moment. "Karigan are you ready?" Karigan jumped, realizing she had been off in her own little world for a few minutes while Zachary and Estora were talking. She shot a pointed look at the King and said, "Your majesty, I'm ready. If you need my advice, you have but to ask." Zachary sighed, knowing that her attitude was totally his doing. Zachary turned his attention back to the matter at hand and announced that he was ready to begin.

The matters discussed today were rather typical, and Zachary really hadn't needed any advice from Karigan. However, on the current matter at hand, he decided he would ask her for some input. It was a dispute that concerned a baker and his 18 year old daughter. The man's daughter was promised to a local inn keeper, but she refused to marry the man for she said she was in love with a local blacksmith. The baker wanted to know if he could force his daughter to marry the inn keeper. Zachary turned to Karigan. He saw her shifting nervously, and smiled a bit. He knew that if he asked her input on this matter, he might get some reading on what she felt about their current situation. "If my understanding is correct here, you would rather your daughter marry the inn keeper because it would mean a better status and lifestyle for her." The man said, "Yes your majesty. I think that it's important for her to have a better life than I do, and to have the kinds of things I was never able to give her." The King nodded, then turned to Karigan and said, "Rider, what do you think should be done in this situation?"

Karigan wanted this nightmare to be over. As soon as she heard the matter, she inwardly cringed, hoping that Zachary didn't ask her for her counsel. She should have known he wouldn't have let her off that easily. She made a face as though she were considering the matter, and then decided that she could use this situation to her advantage. She looked at the King and said, "Your majesty, I can see where the baker thinks marrying the richer man would be best for his daughter. However, I think the best thing that any woman can be given by her husband is love. As this woman is of age, and can choose for herself, I think she should choose the man that she loves. When there is love between a man and woman, that love is a benefit to everybody around them, despite their status in society." Karigan was pleased with her answer, knowing it spoke directly to his feelings for her. "Love between a man and a woman is never wrong, in my mind sire."

Zachary had his answers. She did love him, and her statement told him that she thought he had made the wrong choice in choosing to marry Lady Estora. He looked at the baker and said, "As a man whose duty it is to marry somebody based on her status, I would think those who aren't bound by such constraints should be allowed to marry whom they choose. Your daughter is of age, and she should be the one who chooses who she will marry. I agree with the counsel of this Green Rider that love is a far greater benefit than money and status." The baker bowed before the King and said, "Thank you majesty. I suppose that I really never asked my daughter what she wanted, and I will concede to her wishes." The baker left feeling much better about the situation than when he came before the King. The rest of the matters didn't require Karigan's input and they were done with by the time the bells tolled 5 times. Zachary dismissed Karigan and went to check on the plans that Estora and Fastion had made.


Karigan practically ran from the Great Hall and headed straight for the stables. She grabbed an apple from the stable hand and went to find Condor out in the field. She approached him and his head lifted, knowing she had brought him a treat. He grabbed the apple and began to munch on it happily. Karigan hugged him and laid her head on his neck. "How can the man be so thick? He's King for the love of Aeryc, he could marry who he wanted if he chose to!" Condor nudged her and whinnied. "I know you don't understand. But thanks for listening anyway." Condor blew at her face and she giggled. Since Estora was going to be leaving for a long while, Condor was the only one she could talk to.

Suddenly, his ears pricked forward and Karigan turned to see Fastion heading towards her. "Are you trying to pay me back for my part in getting you injured while practicing with the King?" Karigan smiled at Fastion. "I hadn't even thought of that, but now that you mention it." Fastion laughed and asked her to sit with her for a minute. "Why did you recommend me to Lady Estora then, if not to punish me?" Fastion nudged Karigan playfully. "I recommended you Fastion because you're trustworthy. I've had my life in your hands more than once, and I know you to be an honorable man. Besides, out of all the Weapons that I know, you seem to have a heart, and I thought Estora could use a Weapon who could at least show some compassion from time to time." Fastion smiled and got up. "Thank you Karigan. Now that I've talked with you, I'm very proud to have been chosen. Try to behave yourself around here while I'm gone." Fastion winked at Karigan while he walked away and she laughed. 'That man is something else alright.'